The current pipeline controversy has obviously polarized many into choosing sides, yet it is becoming increasingly clear that many are uninformed and many more completely unwilling to address the real issues at hand.
A pipeline is in operation and has been for decades and the new pipeline is in fact a twinning or expansion line that can increase flow from 300,000 barrels a day to 900,000 barrels. The question should not be do we want a pipeline? The question should be why isn't it built already and why are we even considering shipping the oil being transported?
The oil being transported is dilbit, a crude raw material that should be pumped to B.C. refineries where it can be refined into usable petroleum products. This would necessitate the use of a refinery, the hiring of employees, the monitoring of the pipeline and would result in the manufacturing of a sellable commodity from the transformation of a raw resource.
Very much like the mass-exportation of raw logs from B.C., we have decided in our infinite wisdom that the sale of dilbit overseas is the right choice. Most assuredly, this will one day result in the buying back of refined oil products from elsewhere, instead of maintaining a healthy industry and economy back home. The other choice would be to have this dilbit turned into a usable petroleum product in Alberta and have the refined oil piped into B.C. where it could be utilized here.
While we argue over the implementation of the pipeline, we have been very shortsighted in the big picture. Why are we selling dilbit? Why are we arguing about a pipeline when thousands of barrels are being transported daily by train along rivers and through cities in B.C.? The prospect of a derailment along the Fraser or Thompson rivers is one that is not being discussed and one that presents a very real and clear threat. By removing trains from the oil movement sector, we can re-task these same trains to moving lumber and grain, two segments of the transport sector that are operating well behind schedule and causing severe problems within their respective marketplaces.
Build another refinery; there are only two in B.C. Pipe the dilbit to said refinery and sell the refined oil within B.C. Do not ship the raw dilbit to China. While we're at it, stop selling off our raw logs. Simple solutions, if we think about it.
Mike Maslen, Prince George
